View topic - New Article: Stillers-Browns Postgame Analysis and Grades

[StillMill Profile]

http://www.stillers.com/articles/2281.aspx has been posted by Still Mill at Stillers.com.

[Jtown Profile]

Nice article,Mill.

[Nel Profile]

I saw Steelers turtling in game planing in the face of a contest against a bitterly hated divisional opponent.

The exteme reliance on the veteran RB and LB, and not inserting Mendy at all on O or Timmons more, showed fear of losing from mistakes. This explains the use of the safety blanket, Carey Davis, instead of the rookie Mendenahll.

The overall conservative play calling, with no flares to Willie and only 2 completions to TE Miller, further displayed Arians' rectal constriction.

The Steelers were fortunate, if not downright lucky, to win this one. The Stains ran more plays and controlled the clock.

Thanks to Romeo, the Stains QB, and a fortuitous bounce of the ball on that late kickoff, Pittsburgh received a gifted W that portends both good and bad tidings.

This giftwrapped win might mean something great for this season, but we probably can't win a championship with this type of puckering.

Big kudos to Ben, who guided us through the storm.

[Zorro Profile]

The overall conservative play calling, with no flares to Willie and only 2 completions to TE Miller, further displayed Arians' rectal constriction.

This giftwrapped win might mean something great for this season, but we probably can't win a championship with this type of puckering.

Is calling a play action pass on 2nd down of the last Steelers' sceries of the game "puckering"? If nothing else, that call showed they were playing to win.

Arians has done more than an acceptable job so far this season. You need to relax.

[JumboHeadYouks Profile]

http://www.stillers.com/articles/2281.aspx has been posted by Still Mill at Stillers.com.

Still..have you ever played football? Have you ever played cornerback? Do you know how difficult it is to cover recievers on a wet field where they know where they are cutting and you don't? Your appraisal of McFadden was god-awful. You blame Anderson for the underthrown deep ball...McFadden was right with Edwards stride for stride and had to come back to the ball to make the int. in terrible conditions.. It was a stellar play. McFadden jumping the 3rd and 7 slant route against a much bigger Edwards, probably saved the game. I don't mind a cushion when the field is as slippery as it was...you don't want Soldier or Edwards getting behind you. Polamalu did a tremendous job all night. He was all over the field disrupting the run and pass..not to mention picking off Anderson at the goal line before halftime...had it been a dry field...Troy would have taken it back 99 yards for the TD. The secondary gets a resounding A...and I bet if you asked Tomlin, or anyone who knows anything about football or playing in inclement weather conditions they would concur.

The LB's missed a ton of tackles...but when you go sliding by it is hard to square up on a ball carrier. I think you totally forgot about the weather conditions when you made your asssments.

Reed is the best kicker in the game..bar none. He has never missed a playoff kick....and always comes through in the last seconds when the game is on the line...we are lucky Cowher invited him to a mid-season tryout years ago.

I thought the O-line did a prett darn good job against a huge d-line. Parker still rushed for 100 yards and they allowed us to grind out the clock. Was it perfect..nope...but definitely a B+-A- given the conditions and relative short time together as a unit.

Give Ben a break! He played with a bum shoulder in sloppy conditions and finished with a 113 QB rating. He took a couple of sacks sure...but he probably wasn't sure given the condition, that he could make the throw. One turnover could have lost the game...and he didn't make any.

I think you need to lighten up.

[Hi5Steeler Profile]

I have to agree with the last poster mill. you didnt take many things into consideration.

Big ben didnt just play sore...Ben played with a separated shoulder...his throwing arm....that is MAJOR. and ben didnt fumble once all night in a hurricane with sixty mph winds and no interceptions...zero....

thats a 113 qb rating with an injured throwing arm. i would have expected interceptions from ben and a 70 qb rating considering that.


Oh and that reporter can kiss my ass she is a dumbass. What does she or anyone else expect? That ben is going to mention he has a separated throwing shoulder? you do realize we are playing the eagles in one week. mcnabb will throw for 350 yards and ben will have to match. we dont need the eagles knowing the extent of bens injury so that they can game plan that.
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I also disagree with using parker in the passing game. conditions were horrific for pass catching and parker isnt known as a pass catching rb. hines dropped two...HINES....nate dropped a couple.....you dont throw to willie parker when your WRs are already dropping passes. thats a huge mistake waiting to happen..........he is in backfield while catching those passes which means if he gets hit catching then he can fumble etc.... totally disagree with your assessment of needing to use parker in the passing game with a soaking wet ball and rain beating you in the face...no way jose.
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another thing i completely disagree with...your wanting mendenhall involved.....in a game that comes down ENTIRELY to field position...ie a bad weather hurricane style game....you cant give your rookie that loses the ball easily in preseason the ball. if he lost ONE SINGLE BALL on our own thirty yard line....we lose the game....and you want to risk that? why? why risk that? is mendy gonna break a big one? in a hurricane? its wet...its slippery....and we should give it to a rookie? that cant hold onto the ball possibly?

you would be calling tomlin an idiot if we did that and mendy lost the ball and cost us the game.

in the rain you give the ball to your most trusted players.

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slightly disagree with your B for D line. in a heavy storm with sixty mph gusts the game will be won or lost in the trenches. DL kept jamal lewis to 38 yards and 1.95 yards per carry. that to me is an A+ game as that is the determining factor when d anderson is playing so horrifically.


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Watching that game two players on D came to the forefront as being EVERYWHERE all the time and not just because they both got interceptions...BRYANT MCFADDEN to me played studly as did polamalu.....mcfadden isnt the starter but played like the starter and busted up many plays.

again its raining....you defend differently in rainy conditions.

and as for our linebackers well....i personally saw them slipping and sliding ....they couldnt cut too well to get to qb in the rain with o line pushing them around. much harder to get around o line in slippery wet conditions....it nullifies the LBs best asset...speed....the sacks on big ben were done by monster sized DL guys on clowns d.

this game wasnt a good game to speed rush. but woodley and harrison still put pressure on the qb anyway....with ZERO traction on the ground.

[StillMill Profile]

I also disagree with using parker in the passing game. conditions were horrific for pass catching and parker isnt known as a pass catching rb. hines dropped two...HINES....nate dropped a couple.....you dont throw to willie parker when your WRs are already dropping passes. thats a huge mistake waiting to happen..........he is in backfield while catching those passes which means if he gets hit catching then he can fumble etc.... totally disagree with your assessment of needing to use parker in the passing game with a soaking wet ball and rain beating you in the face...no way jose.
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another thing i completely disagree with...your wanting mendenhall involved.....in a game that comes down ENTIRELY to field position...ie a bad weather hurricane style game....you cant give your rookie that loses the ball easily in preseason the ball. if he lost ONE SINGLE BALL on our own thirty yard line....we lose the game....and you want to risk that? why? why risk that? is mendy gonna break a big one? in a hurricane? its wet...its slippery....and we should give it to a rookie? that cant hold onto the ball possibly?

you would be calling tomlin an idiot if we did that and mendy lost the ball and cost us the game.

in the rain you give the ball to your most trusted players.

1. On the exact same field and weather conditions, Jamaal Lewis caught 3 balls for 28 yards (9 yards per), and seldom used Jerome Harrison caught 1 ball in the 4Q, good for 23 (TWENTY THREE) yards. Neither of these Browns players fumbled, nor did they drop any passes. Fact is, in bad weather, it is EASIER, and SAFER, to hit a RB on a SHORT pass, than anyone on a DOWNFIELD pass.

2. As for Mendenhall, you're spewing patent bullshit. The player that you're trembling in fear of using, RETURNED KICKOFFS LAST NITE. If you're gonna allow Mendy to return KOs -- with the very distinct possibility of getting blistered by a LB (or 2 or 3) who has 50 yards of full steam -- then you can allow Mendy to run the fuking ball on a simple line plunge. If the guy is entrusted to return KOs, then he can run the fuking ball as a RB.

Allrightey, folks......any other bullshit that I can debunk ?

[Still Furnace Profile]

Hi5Steeler:

The reason Parker's not part of the passing game is that he's never invited to participate. It's another threat that Arians refuses to open up. Parker should be used for shorter passes like many NFL backs. (Yet Arians scripts a 60 yarder requiring a diving catch? WTF? That's a WR pass!) The same holds true for the TEs, which are grossly underutilized. As for the weather, the game plan should have been for shorter passing routes mixed in and used: backs, like CLE did to us, and TEs. Heaving the pass game further down amid 50-80 mph rainy gusts ain't the best plan of action, either.

As for the DB back's coverage, rain or no rain its the same cushion issue. And if you're worried about Mendy's hands, why's he fielding kicks?

[Hi5Steeler Profile]

how did mendy work out in returns last night though? he almost cost us the ball on the two yard line.



I believe all my points are valid. the way parker was running we did NOT need to use him in the passing game. we have mewelde moore for that.


the parker sixty yarder was a gimmick play...note that he did not catch that which a receiver would have easily....

again...furnace and mills points both prove my points.

come on guys you are making me look more correct.

[trenches Profile]

Hi5,

You are trying to correlate Mendy's performance in return duty to being used in the standard offense??? That argument makes no sense. According to that argument, Holmes should have been cut midway through his rookie season. The skill sets are totally different.

In addition, by NOT using Mendy, you delay his development and show no confidence in his ability which is against Tomlin's stated M.O.

I don't get it...

[Nel Profile]

Zorro,

I think I identified the puckering trend accurately. By that I mean I think the team held back on offense, and played for a close and tight game.

I regard the cliche 'playing to win' as devoid of real meaning. That was an effective play, but one call does not disprove the trend I identified.

I am relaxed enough, but I thank you for your concern.

[Wooderson Profile]

Well done as usual Mill. Just surprised at the special teams grade. I was STEAMING all night about the special teams. The Clownies' kicker was hitting 50+ yard punts against the wind. Our punter looked like Sweetchuck in comparison against the wind. Plus we looked like shit fielding kicks We narrowly missed disaster on a few occasions. However, coverage was excellent, thanks only to numerous starters playing.
We need major improvement returning the ball. ST's gotta get WAY better. Imagine a SB team with a ST performance like ours last night. You wouldn't see it. Food for thought bro.

[DirtDawson Profile]

Am I the only one who feels McFadden should stay in the starting lineup?

[Rocket Rashard Profile]

Good job Mill.

Mendenhall not getting a single carry was very disappointing to me. If they're afraid of giving the kid the ball because of his fumbling problems, then just come out and say it. I thought our NUMBER 1 PICK was drafted to provide a complement to Willie. Some complement he was last night as Willie is on pace for over 400 carries again and Mendenhall didn't even sniff a carry.

Which leads me to Timmons' lack of PT last night. The fact that I have to watch the very mediocre Larry Slow-of-Foote start ahead of this very talented kid really pisses me off. I don't see a single thing that Foote does better than Timmons at this point, but there's a whole boatload of things that Timmons does better than Foote. This, again, just seems like a lack of confidence by a conservative coaching staff in a highly gifted player - once again choosing the vet over the more talented young guy. I'm very disappointed in Tomlin for allowing this to happen.

[Hi5Steeler Profile]

trenches arguing that my point means holmes should have been cut is disengenious. I did not state I do not want mendenhall to have carries.

I said I do not want a ROOKIE to have carries IN the rain ESPECIALLY when he has had MAJOR trouble with losing the ball in preseason games.

the risk is simply too high. ive stated this already. basically you are saying you want to risk losing the game to see if rashard will get any better than in the preseason....while in a storm.....


willie parker ran the ball MORE than effectively. why risk that when there is no need. rashard mendenhall has ball control issues. show me how it makes sense to give him the ball in a storm? you cant. it doesnt.

he can have all the carries he wants against the eagles next week. he had his chance in the return game and fucked up and almost cost us the game. he screwed up in the preseason with three lost balls in two games.....he is TOO much of a risk or was in that storm.


the ONLY change that could have POSSIBLY HAPPENED if you guys got your wish is that we COULD have lost that game instead of winning it as we did. your points are false and your outcome has a really good shot at making us lose to the browns.

luckily you guys are not coaches on the pittsburgh steelers and i dont mean that in a bad way but honestly and as a fan.

[stillgrill Profile]

Mill - good assessment of the game. I thought I was the only one to believe Rogers should've gotten a roughing penalty from that cheap-a$$ shoulder into Ben. Especially after Woodley's call.

No doubt the LB crew will not excel til Timmons gets more time than Slowa-Foote. I hope Tomlin had some choice words to Farrior after that potentially costly taunting penalty.

Tomlin obviously showed fear of fumbles by not playing Shar. Willie can't keep up this absurd pace again. Shar's return shennanigans weren't exactly reason for optimism though.

Even though Crennel is a moron, the Clowns may be back in the race if they can beat the Crows & Bungles while the Stillers will be tussling in Philly & Jax. We need to pull one of those gms out & make sure to beat the Crows at home, before the bye.

[StillMill Profile]

Mill - good assessment of the game. I thought I was the only one to believe Rogers should've gotten a roughing penalty from that cheap-a$$ shoulder into Ben. Especially after Woodley's call.

No doubt the LB crew will not excel til Timmons gets more time than Slowa-Foote. I hope Tomlin had some choice words to Farrior after that potentially costly taunting penalty.

Tomlin obviously showed fear of fumbles by not playing Shar. Willie can't keep up this absurd pace again. Shar's return shennanigans weren't exactly reason for optimism though.

Even though Crennel is a moron, the Clowns may be back in the race if they can beat the Crows & Bungles while the Stillers will be tussling in Philly & Jax. We need to pull one of those gms out & make sure to beat the Crows at home, before the bye.

good feedback. Remember this about KO returns -- not being able to do it in gusting winds, no less, is no barometer for playing RB. Barry Foster proved this quite well.

[zoopnsteel Profile]

another thing i completely disagree with...your wanting mendenhall involved.....in a game that comes down ENTIRELY to field position...ie a bad weather hurricane style game....you cant give your rookie that loses the ball easily in preseason the ball. if he lost ONE SINGLE BALL on our own thirty yard line....we lose the game....and you want to risk that? why? why risk that? is mendy gonna break a big one? in a hurricane? its wet...its slippery....and we should give it to a rookie? that cant hold onto the ball possibly?

you would be calling tomlin an idiot if we did that and mendy lost the ball and cost us the game.

in the rain you give the ball to your most trusted players.

Thank you! I've read post after post being critical of Tomlin for not putting Fumbles into a monsoon. What the hell are these people smoking anyway -- and may I have some? Shard is going to be a nice back, and a great change of pace this year. However, you don't throw a rookie with fumbling problems into a hurricane against a division rival when your feature back is just getting rolling. We'll see plenty of Delicious this season -- the Cleveland game just didn't present the right opportunity to use him.

Anyway, overall a good analysis and kudos for putting yourself out there once again. Keep it up and thanks for the read.

[StillMill Profile]

However, you don't throw a rookie with fumbling problems into a hurricane against a division rival when your feature back is just getting rolling. We'll see plenty of Delicious this season -- the Cleveland game just didn't present the right opportunity to use him.

Ok, then.....explain WHY it made sense, therefore, to use Mendenhall on KICKOFF RETURNS vs. Clev. Please, enlighten all of us.

[Nel Profile]

Thank you! I've read post after post being critical of Tomlin for not putting Fumbles into a monsoon. What the hell are these people smoking anyway -- and may I have some? Shard is going to be a nice back, and a great change of pace this year. However, you don't throw a rookie with fumbling problems into a hurricane against a division rival when your feature back is just getting rolling. We'll see plenty of Delicious this season -- the Cleveland game just didn't present the right opportunity to use him.

Divergence among opinions is a positive sign for a message board.

But, supporting one's arguments with exaggeration or misinformation is for weak minds. Monsoon? Hurricane?

There was some rain and some swirling winds; it was not a monsoon and the wind was not hurricane force.